Yet Another Bolt-Together Fiberglass Trailer Kit
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Here you go...
Here are two ways the HF 1720-lb. 4x8 trailer might be reconfigured to 4x6. The difference between the two is the axle position. In the stock HF kit, the two frame halves are joined by the spring hanger, which is centered on the joint between the front and back halves of the frame. If we want to keep the axle centered on a 6' frame, the spring hanger won't span the joint, so additional fishplates must be bolted to the side members to join them.
Here's how it works:
Crossmember "a" is cut in three pieces, and now serves as part of the center backbone (2' of it) and to join the rear half to the front half (two 1' sections). We can get away with 2 1' sections because the middle 2' of that crossmember doesn't do any real work in the original design.
Crossmember "c" and side member "d" form the rest of the center backbone.
Side member "e" is cut in two 2' sections to form the sides for the back half of the frame.
All of the crossmembers are narrowed 4" to make the frame narrower for the military-style tub, and to allow for Jeep-sized tires to fit with the stock axle.
Configuration 2 uses the spring hanger for it's original second purpose as the fishplates to join the frame halves, although I haven't pushed it back far enough to fully center it on the joint, it's position so the axle is only 6" back from center. Additional fishplates are not necessary, this entire configuration can be built from the parts that made up the original 4x8 trailer.
The HF axles and hubs are metric, so you'd have to find some combination of 6x5.5 hubs and bearings so everything was the correct size. If it were me, and I was using big 'ol 6x5.5 bolt pattern wheels and appropriate tires to go with those wheels, I'd probably make up a brand new 3500-lb. axle to run them on rather than trying to fit them on the metric HF axle. A place like KMT Service Parts (www.kmtparts.com) offers 6x5.5 hubs and also builds custom 3500-lb. axles for $111.99 (that's with 5-lug hubs, you'd have to check with them for a 6-lug unit). For that price, why mess around with trying to find strange-sized bearings?
jscherb
Expedition Leader
It would be a two-step process:
1. Will I decide to make full size molds for these trailer tubs?
2. Will they get to market?
For #1, I'm seriously considering making the molds - I think this would be a fun project for me to do. The problem is that I've already got two trailers, I don't need any more, so I'd just be building these for the fun of building them. If I go ahead, I'm thinking maybe I'd build a 4' example on the HF Mini Trailer with stock-sized tires, and a 6' example on a shortened 1720-lb. HF frame with 31" tires (just like the models). Since I don't need them, I'm thinking I'd offer them for sale at the start of the build, so the buyer could have some say in how the trailer was configured, etc.
As for #2, of course that depends on me deciding to do #1, and it also depends on whether "a company" decides they want to bring these to market, because I just do this for a hobby and I don't market anything. It's too early to say whether this kit would get to market like my Jeep-tub trailer did.
It's also possible that if I go ahead and build one or two, one of those could end up in the hands of "a company" to be used as master parts for making their production molds. It would be easy to deliver to them, I'd just tow it to their shop, then they could disassemble it and make molds from it
.If there's a lot of positive feedback and interest in these tubs/trailers in this thread that increases the likelihood of both #1 and #2.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
A heavy-duty welded frame would be great for these. I've designed them to fit the HF frames so that there's a very budget-friendly entry point, but the sky's the limit as far as outfitting them.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
BTW, I've designed the tub to accept factory Jeep CJ or TJ/YJ Wrangler tailgates, but if the "Jeep look" wasn't desired, a Dinoot "smooth" tailgate could be fitted as well, in either the drop-down or side-swing configuration (the Dinoot smooth tailgate is shown here on a Jeep-tub trailer).
Side swing:
...or drop-down:
(the drop-down example above is an early prototype, the production version looks slightly different inside).
[snip]
It's also possible that if I go ahead and build one or two, one of those could end up in the hands of "a company" to be used as master parts for making their production molds. It would be easy to deliver to them, I'd just tow it to their shop, then they could disassemble it and make molds from it
If there's a lot of positive feedback and interest in these tubs/trailers in this thread that increases the likelihood of both #1 and #2.
if you decide to make one or two of the mini... make an extra set for me!
and i'm hoping there is interest in this!
good luck whichever way you go.
joel
I like that adjustable tongue channel Mark......I keep those in stock here to put on ANYTHING!!!
They make a very heavy version as well if you trailer is 6000K or greater (personal treshhold), second pic also has a Reese style reciever to mount a "mobile" Warn 8000lb winch. Third pic is the front of a log arch, a swivel caster HD gets mounted downward in the bottom box tube if needed.
Jronwood
They make a very heavy version as well if you trailer is 6000K or greater (personal treshhold), second pic also has a Reese style reciever to mount a "mobile" Warn 8000lb winch. Third pic is the front of a log arch, a swivel caster HD gets mounted downward in the bottom box tube if needed.
Jronwood
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Harald Hansen
Explorer
Since I live across the pond from you, I expect that the cost of shipping would be considerable. Do you have a rough idea of the dimensions and weight of a packed kit?
jscherb
Expedition Leader
One of the key design criteria for this kit is cost, which includes shipping cost, so I've already worked out the minimum shipping size. The largest piece of the tub is the floor, which is plywood that you would supply yourself, so only the fiberglass parts need to be shipped. The fiberglass parts "nest" together pretty nicely, shown below is the minimum width and height in inches for a shipping box for the kit without tailgate, allowing for some foam or bubble wrap to protect the parts (might need more packaging for international shipments, I don't know). Including a tailgate in the shipping would add probably 2" to the height, making it 12" high instead of 10". Since the kit accepts standard factory CJ and Wrangler tailgates, you might decide to source that locally, perhaps even a used one.
The length of the shipping box depends on the length of the tub kit, so the length would be either 2" more than 4' or 2" more than 6'. So a 4' tub kit without tailgate would ship in a 10" x 21" x 50" box.
The weight should be less than 100 pounds.
For domestic shipping in the US, even the 6' tub with a tailgate is well within the size and weight limits for UPS Ground shipping. I don't have any experience with international shipping so I can't tell you any more about that.
grimbo
Explorer
You never cease to amaze me with your builds. Excellent stuff and surely a great option for many. Chuck in a fiberglass lid and you'd have the complete package. Nice thing with fiberglass is the ability to build in water tanks or water proof compartments etc into the whole unit.
Id love a 6' with lid, built in water tank and front battery box, swing out tailgate with integrated storage nooks and fold down table thanks.
Id love a 6' with lid, built in water tank and front battery box, swing out tailgate with integrated storage nooks and fold down table thanks.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Thank you.
Well since you mentioned fiberglass lids...
...here are some hard cover concepts for the Mini-M416. This is the 4' Mini tub with 31" tires and larger fenders.
First, a simple flat cover that could either be made from plywood or fiberglass:
Here's a raised fiberglass one, which would provide a little more cargo space inside.
And here's the raised one with racks installed. These could either be used for cargo or for a roof top tent.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
And you also mentioned a swing-out tailgate with integrated storage nooks...
I've done two prototypes, I call it the StoreGate...
This one's got a lockable door that also serves as a small table. It also has compartments in the top that can hold drinks or small parts.
And the one I've put on my LJ's tailgate is an open version with a net. When the tailgate is closed and locked, access to the cargo in the StoreGate is secure - the StoreGate closes up pretty close against the trunk box. Here's what the open version looks like installed on a factory TJ/LJ tailgate:
At the moment the StoreGate is holding my recovery strap (in the black canvas bag) and two quarts of oil. There's room left for more cargo.
Mark Harley
Expedition Leader
I am ready for the fiberglass to fly!
New york is close too so I could drive up to get it.
New york is close too so I could drive up to get it.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Those of you who own M100 or M416 trailers, could I ask a favor? I'd like to verify the tub width at the bottom/frame width - it's shown in this drawing to be 41". If I'm going to make molds for a tub that can be replacements for the military trailers, I need to be sure the tubs match at this dimension. If your tub width is different, let me know what model trailer you've got - official military M100, M416, M101, Spen, Willys, etc...
